just don't know what to do ??

**claire85** · 21-04-2010, 11:54 AM

Hiya Everyone , you probably wont be able to help me out as its a decision i need to make but i just needed to explain to someone lol rather than it going over and over in my head!! At the moment i look after children before and after school i take 4 to school both days children aged between 6 -8 and and in the after noon i pick up 2 - 5 children aged between 5 -8 . The days can vary which doesn't help!!
I have just been asked by one of the mums whose little girl i look after on a fri before and after school about having her 2 an 3 year old aswell although she is ringing round nurseries aswell. I just dont know what to do although some of the children i look after are over 8 five children after school can be bedlam sometimes .
I was speaking to a cm the other day and she said she had been silly and took on too much , i dont want this to be me !!!

**christine e** · 21-04-2010, 12:08 PM

Like you say only you can answer this one. I care for up to six at any one time and don't find it a problem. At least it would be on a Friday and you have the weekend to recover!

Cx

**claire85** · 21-04-2010, 12:19 PM

Yes it's my decision i know lol. Could be any days of the week she needs me to have them so i could end up with 8 kids but still be within my ratio . i just dont want to take on too much them regret it xx

**Hebs** · 21-04-2010, 12:34 PM

I have had 11 kids before.

I like to have more as they entertain each other

I reguarlly have 8 or 9 x

**claire85** · 21-04-2010, 01:05 PM

yeah thats true decision time lol x

**Goatgirl** · 21-04-2010, 01:16 PM

You can always try it, making it clear from the start that it would just be a trial to mum, so there'd be no hard feelings if you decided not to carry on.

bws,
Wendy

**funemnx** · 21-04-2010, 08:05 PM

I find that the more children I have, the easier it is! The younger ones find watching the older ones play facinating. The school runs are physically tiring though with lots of children

**nokidshere** · 21-04-2010, 10:55 PM

I regularly have up to 10 children and they are pretty much settled into little groups.

The three 5-8's tend to play together and love the lego etc.
The three 8/9 year old boys tend to be doing something active like hide and seek etc
The 10 & 11 year olds often slump in front of the tv or playstation and chat about their day at school or gossip about their friends

And there are usually 2-3 in the garden on the frame or playing basketball.

It sounds like a lot of children, but in reality most of the time you wouldn;t know I have that many here unless you arrive at dinnertime when they are all sat together at the table. When I had a 3 year old here (she left a few weeks ago) she pottered between the groups and loved playing with the older ones who indulged her and let her pretend she was actually doing the same as them

I have always found that having more is easier - as long as they are older ones - I would not have more than 2 under 5's with a large group of older children.

And yes - I agree that the school run is knackering LOL

**Daftbat** · 22-04-2010, 07:13 AM

If i have only 5 after school it feels really quiet!!! Only you know what you can handle and its ok for some of us to say that we cope well with 8,9,10 kids regularly but it all depends upon how long you have been minding, how confident you are and the children themselves!

A trial period is all well and good but if it doesn't work it could be unsettling for the children. Have a good think and perhaps shadow a childminder if you can who has a lot of children after school to see what they do to handle things.

Good luck